"Lawyer invents lobster stun gun"

[Mr. X]

BBC Radio 4 interviewed a British Lawyer that has invented a way to, supposedly, kill lobster more humanely:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4097798.stm

Apparently some EU scientists (40+) recently decided that some "lower" animals - in particular crabs & lobsters - are "sentient" and should therefore now be killed humanely (they didn't mention fish). This might effect regulations - apparently the first users of this invention (which is made under license in Canada) are large food processors. They are planning a smaller home version later.

[BTW It seems like folk are increasingly suggesting chilling live crab/lobster/cray in the freezer before putting them in boiling water. Presumably this is intended to be more humane.

A zoologist once told me that if you put a live frog in water & heat it gradually to boiling they will not jump out they "get used to it". Pretty nasty experiment -- but perhaps gradual heating might be more humane?]

Zap/chill/boil/heat gently ... you decide.

[Oldsarge]

The killing of lobsters and crabs by putting them in cold water and then slowly heating them has been around forever. The idea of plunging them into boiling water is purely for commercial operations who don't think they have time to wait. Do not support any inventions by lawyers . . . unless it's a better speargun and they belong to DB!

[naiad]

A bit off topic, but I remember reading somewhere that a humane way to kill a fish is to put it in a small container of water with a fizzy tablet, like Alka-Seltzer, in the water, preferably under its gills. The CO2 will knock it out and then kill it.

I have never done it, so I don't know how effective it is. When I used to breed fish, if one of them needed to be destroyed I fed it to a bigger fish.

[Oldsarge]

I like that. Nothing going to waste!

[Mr. X]

Originally Posted by naiad

...put it in a small container of water with a fizzy tablet, like Alka-Seltzer, in the water, preferably under its gills. The CO2 will knock it out and then kill it.

I have never done it, so I don't know how effective it is. When I used to breed fish, if one of them needed to be destroyed I fed it to a bigger fish.

...and if the fizzy tab doesn't kill it, perhaps it will make it feel better.

Reminds me, just before they banned stag hunting (with hounds) in the UK, a scientist interviewed on the radio claimed it was cruel because of the stress hormones produced during the chase. Two thoughts occured to me: (1) how did he prove that and (2) if any of you have been in a high stress, near death situation, you will know that time seems to slow drastically and pain doesn't register (at least that has been my experience).

[Oldsarge]

Reminds me, just before they banned stag hunting (with hounds) in the UK, a scientist interviewed on the radio claimed it was cruel because of the stress hormones produced during the chase. Two thoughts occured to me: (1) how did he prove that and (2) if any of you have been in a high stress, near death situation, you will know that time seems to slow drastically and pain doesn't register (at least that has been my experience).

Animal Righters never prove anything. They believe in "proof by assumption", i.e., "I believe it so it must be true" hence the obviousness that what they are preaching is a secular religion based on the concept that animals are sweet and humans are evil. Tell that to an angry grizzly! Maybe Treadwell was trying to . . .

And I am in total agreement with your experience, X, time slows down, everything becomes super clear and focused and I feel cold. Nothing else.

[naiad]

Originally Posted by Mr. X

...and if the fizzy tab doesn't kill it, perhaps it will make it feel better.

I hope so...
The worst would be if it is still alive several minutes later, feeling as I do in CO2 tolerance training.

[land shark]

still beats getting swallowed whole!